Taymora: Major Conflicts/Plot Lines
by John CalvinHere are some more thoughts on some of the major conflicts/plot lines that could be happening in Taymora during this time period:
1) Nosferatu vs Vampire: The nosferatu dominated west (Nyx worshipers) are opposed to the vampire dominated east (Thanatos worshipers). As the wasting has dissipated there has been less and less need for the priestesses of Nyx to perform their modified Ceremony of Blood to protect the (living) populace. Because of this, many in the nobility have come to see the living as no more than a food source - an idea perpetuated by those who worship Thanatos. They seek to destabilize and ultimately destroy Taymoran society. This struggle may also highlight the conflict between Nyx's matriarchy and Thanatos' patriarchy.
2) Living vs Undead: The living have started to see their undead leaders more as a plague and less as the saviors of their society, and a few have begun to do something about it. There are many secret movements that seek to overthrow the vampiric nobility - many of these tied to the worship of non-entropic immortals such as Idu/Ixion. One city, Soleclea, has already managed to remove the vampiric nobility, and other cities may follow.
3) The Original Nosferatu: Tayma, once queen of all Taymora, has been sleeping for some time now - entrapped in a prison that has kept her from interfering in Taymoran society or any of the nobility. There may be factions that wish to free Tayma from her long slumber for any number of reasons - to unite Taymora under the rule of a single monarch, to purge the Thanatos worshipers from the east, to usher in a new golden age, etc. If released Tayma may have her own plans... plans that might prove detrimental to every creature on Brun, living or dead.
4) Night Dragons: When Tayma stole the secret of the Ceremony of Sublimation she made some powerful enemies. The night dragons have been plotting the downfall of Taymora ever since then. Some may even have taken human form and set themselves up as vampiric rulers in the east. The night dragons won't be happy until Taymora is utterly destroyed, and their secrets are once again theirs alone.
5) Mythic Lycanthropy: The living have become pawns in the struggle for power between the vampiric rulers of the land. Seeking ever greater control over their subjects, the vampires and nosferatu have begun experimenting with a disease that imparts animalistic characteristics onto their subjects. They hope that these animal traits (associated with animals that vampires have a natural affinity with already) will allow them to directly control their living subjects.
6) External Threats: The Taymorans are on less than friendly terms with most of their neighbors - Intua, Mogreth, Grondheim, and Adhuza. Any of these nations might threaten Taymora in some shape or fashion.
7) Natural Disasters: Volcanic and geological instabilities will ultimately lead to the destruction of Taymora, but these forces may be felt to a lesser degree up until BC 1750. These "natural" occurrences may be tied to other causes - most notably anything related to the immortal Idu.